I received this email the other day from my fiancées father. I'd received it before from various sources, usually in one variation or another. I don't know the original source or whether or not the story is fact or fiction and more times than not I would have simply hit the 'delete' key and moved on to more important matters.

This time was different, I took the time to read the story and its message served as a reminder to me that sometimes we forget the impact that our words, actions, and even our expressions can have on another.

Like many I have a bad habit of wearing my mood on my sleeve and forget that others may not understand why I'm angry or being short. We all likely do such at times and seldom if ever give any thought to it.

I did so the other day when a clerk at the local grocery store failed to provide the correct change. I snapped at her, snatched up the change she provided in correction and stomped out of the store. My mood had nothing to do with her or the insignificant error she had made. I didn't give it another thought that is until I read this story.

I returned to the store today and apologized to her. To my surprise she remembered and thanked me for telling her. She told me that it had bothered her for quite some time, the mistake that is. She assumed it was her when all along it was my own foul mood that was to blame.

As I left the story I wondered if there were those out there who had not read this story or one of its variations. Despite its unknown origin I felt that perhaps it could make a small difference in someone else's life, much as it did mine.

It is reprinted below.

------------------------------------------------

ONE DAY by Unknown

One day hen I was a freshman in high school I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."

I had quite a weekend planned, parties and a football game with my friend's tomorrow afternoon, so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.

He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, those guys are jerks, they really should get lives."

He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"

There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out he lived near me so I asked him why I had never seen him before.

He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.

He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.

I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends, he said yes.

We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.

I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are going to really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!"

He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four year Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors we began to think about college and Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke.

I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem.

He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd and one day he had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.

Graduation day, I saw Kyle.

He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.

Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.

I could see that he was nervous about his speech so I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"

He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.

"Thanks," he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began.

"Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.

Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends...

I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.

I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met.

He had planned to kill himself over the weekend he said. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.

He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.

"Thankfully, I was saved.

My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.

I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize its depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions.

With one small gesture you can change a person's life, for better or for worse.